Child&#39;s furniture



Filed March 27, 1946 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 22, 1951 I J. A. NOTTO 2,553,670

CHILD S FURNITURE r 1. I J J I v 36 17 79 72} a} 7J74J 41 -73 Inventor z/asgb 19. Hoffa.

WWW H M 5 May 22, 1951 J. A. NOTTO 2,553,670

CHILDS FURNITURE Filed March 27, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 74 42 41 43 35 a w u 10 h Invento l Mlfo.

y 1951 J. A. NOTTO 2,553,670

CHILD S FURNITURE Filed March 2'7, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I m/eutor Patented May 22, 1951 mes'ne assignments, to Rockaboat Inc., a corporation of Massachusetts" Application March 27, 1946, Serial No. 657,468

(01. Isa-41 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in childs furniture, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described, which in effect, is a combination of several distinct articles of furniture, associated in such manner as to provide a structure of high utility, novel appearance, and well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended.

Generally speaking, the invention embodies in its construction a boat shaped body normally resting on rockers, and equipped with a suitable seat and with a handle simulating the appearance of a sail. The body is also provided with retractible wheels, which may be readily projected into running position by manipulating the sail, thus facilitating the use 'of the invention as a go-cart. A service tray, such as may be used during meals and as a playboard for toys, is also attached to the body, this tray co-acting with the sail to form a safety device, so to speak, for retaining the occupant in the seat during the rocking of the body; The seat itself is provided with a removable cover which may be readily substituted by a training chamber and the body is also equipped with an easily accessible compartment for storing the chamber when the same is not in use.

i, The general utility of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing outline and sists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention, showing the same in readiness for use as a gocart.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the subjectsh-own in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a further side elevation of the invention, but showing' the same. in position for use "as a rocker.

Figure 4' is a top plan view of the subject shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal, cross sectional view of the deviceshown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the device shown in Figure 3, and

Figure '7 is a cross-sectional view of the removable seat assembly used in the invention.

Like characters of reference are usedto designate like parts in the specification, and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention embodies in its construction an enclosed frame-work forming a segment shaped, boat-like body 10, the arcuate bottom portion ll of which constitutes a rocker, designated by the same reference character H.

Provided medially the length of the upper surfaces of the body I0 is an opening l2, the purpose thereof being hereinafter more fully described. The handle designated generally by the reference character l3 consists of a pair of spaced side members It connected together at one end by a cross member t5. The remaining end portions of the side members 14 are positioned in the opening l2, and are pivotally connected to the sides of the body to by means of suitable bolts or pins [6. 'It will be noted that the side members I4, configurated substantially as shown, simulate the appearance of an erectible and collapsible sail. The sides of the body Hi are formed with suitable grooves (not shown) adapted to. slidably, that is, removably receive the backrest IT of, the seat assembly It. The latter is removably receiv'able. in the opening 12 of the body It and assumes the form of a pair of spaced side plates l9 connected together by the seat platform 20. It will be noted that the seat assembly [8' is positioned between the side members It of the sail l3, and the platform '28 is provided with a substantially circular aperture 2i. A removable cover 22 is positioned in the aperture 2 I, and the cover may be readily replaced by a training chamber 23.

The retractible wheel structure consists, of a. pair of front levers 24 and a pair of back levers 25, one end of each of the levers. 24 being pivotally connected as at 26 to medially the length of one of the levers 25 and to the pivoted end portion of one of the side members l4.

Considering the pivot 26 as a dividing point,

the levers 25 may be considered as separated into relatively short arms. I]. and relatively long arms 28. A transversely extending hand grip 29 com nects the upper extremities of the arms 21, the

hand grip 29 being conveniently located with respect to the seat assembly I 8.

The free extremities of the arms 28 and the remaining extremities of the levers 24 are provided with rotatable wheels 30, positioned on suitable pins 3|. It should be noted that the levers 24, 25 are slidable in suitable slots -32,these being provided in the framework of the body II] for the purpose of guiding the sliding movement of the levers. The bottom portion of the body In is also formed with suitable slots or openings 33 adjacent the location of the wheels 30, the purpose cfthese slots being hereinafter more fully explained. r

A storage compartment 3 3 is formed in the body behind the seat assembly |8, and a portion of the upper surface of the body is hingedly connected as at 35, to constitute a lid 36 for this compartment. The compartment may, of course,

-be used for the storage of toys and the like, as well as for the storage of the chamber 23 when the same is not being used.

An upstanding bracket 3?, configurated substantially as shown, is secured to the upper surface of the body it) forwardly of the seat assembly I3. A transversely extending flap s8 is hing-r edly connected as at 39 to the body to adjacent the bracket 31. It will be noted that the ends of the flap 38 are provided with sector-like plates 40, which will be referred to again at a later part of this specification.

A service tray 4| is hingedly connected as at 42 to the flap 38, the tray being of conventional design and adapted for use during meals and also, as a playboard for toys.

The outer edge of the platform or tray 4| is provided with a fastening element 43, this being of a suitable type such as would co-act with the bracket 37 to releaseably lock the tray 4| in the .position illustrated in th accompanying Figures 3, 4 and 6.

Having thus described the construction of'the invention, its method of operation will now be presented.

Referring first to the accompanying Figures 1, 2 and 5, the invention is shown therein in readiness for use as a go-cart. In this position, the wheels will project from the bottom of the body It and the sail or handle l3 will be extended, thus simulating a sailboat in motion, The child, of course, is seated in the seat assembly 18, and the hand grip 29 is in suitable position for use by the child. It should be noted that the tray 4| is conveniently supported on the flat surface 44 of the bracket 37 and the extended side members l4, together with the side plates l9 and the backrest will provide a sufficient enclosure to prevent the child from falling out of the seat.

When it is desired to convert the go-cart into a rocker, the handle or sail i3 is swung or collapsed about its pivots to a position indicated in the accompanying Figures 3, 4 and 6. Simultaneously, the levers 24, 25 and the associated wheels 30, which heretofore have projected from the body ||l through the slots or openings 33, will be withdrawn or retracted into the body, and the latter will rest on the rocker N.

After the sail |3 has been collapsed, the tray 4|, together with the associated flap 38, should be swung about the hinge 39, so that the sector plates 40 contact the upper surface of the body "I. The tray 4| may be locked in this position by means of the fastening element 43 as has been already described, and it will be notedthatthe 4 relationship of the sector plates 40 with respect to the side members I4 is such, that the sector plates will contact a cam surface 45 provided on each of the side members M. In other words, by virtue of this contact, the sail I3 cannot be erected into its go-cart position, until the tray 4| and the associated flap 38 have been moved to the appropriate, forwardly extended position.

Theflap 38, the plates 40, and the side members M will thus co-act with the plates l9 and the backrest H to form protecting walls for retaining the occupant in the seat assembly [8, during the rocking of the body In. Since as aforesaid, the sail l3 cannot be erected until the element 43 has been unlatched and the tray 4| moved, the characteristics of safety as exhibited by the lockable protecting walls, become clearly evident.

Referring again to the go-cart position of the invention, it should be noted that the configuration of the slots 32 is such, that the same function as effective stops, to prevent excessive spreading of the levers 24, 25, as is best illustrated in the accompanying Figure 5.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is considered unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Childs furniture comprising in combination, an enclosed framework forming a segment shaped boat-like body, the arcuate bottom portion of said framework constituting a rocker, a pair of side members and a cross member at one end thereof formin a handle, said side members simulating the appearance of a sail, said body having an opening formed medially the length of its upper surface, the remaining end portions of said members being positioned in said opening and pivotally connected to the sides of said framework, a seat including a backrest removably positioned in said opening and between said side members, said seat being formed with an aperture, a removable cover in said aperture, said cover being replaceable by a training chamber, a pair of front levers, a pair of back levers, one end of each of said front levers being pivotally connected to medially the length of one of said back levers and to the pivoted end portion of one of said side members, said back levers forming upwardly extending short arms and downwardly extending long arms, rotatable wheels at the free ends of said long arms and at the remaining ends of said front levers, said levers being slidable in said framework, the erecting and collapsing of said sail sliding said levers whereby said wheels are projected from or retracted into the bottom of said body, an upstanding bracket on said body forwardly of said seat, a flap hingedly connected to said body adjacent said bracket, a service tray hingedly connected to said flap, and a fastening element on said tray, said element co-acting with said bracket to releasably retain said tray in the locked position, said tray in the locked position co-acting with said flap and with said side members to form protecting walls for retaining the 6 occupant in said seat during the rocking of said body, said side members having cam surfaces on REFERENCES CITED the ends thereof adjacent said'tray. when in said Th collapsed position, and said flaps having means file g li i are of record m the to engage said cam surfaces to lock the side 5 members in collapsed position. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2. The device as defined in claim' 1, in which N b Name Date said means comprise laterally disposed sector 145,329 Ardrey 23 137 plates and said tray, sector plates and flap are 1,241,357 Drosdowet Sept. 25, 1917 shiftable into one position to facilitate the erec- 10 1,413,510 Wiggin 13 9 tion of said side members and shiftable into a 1,421,260 Kurnick June 7 192 second position so that said sector plates engage said cam surfaces to lock the sails in collapsed FOREIGN PATENTS position. Number Country Date JOSEPH A. NO'ITO. 15 553,09 France Aug. 21, 1923 

